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The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre launched a four year (2013- 2017) multi-million dollar regional energy efficiency project on August 13, 2013. The US$12,484,500 Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD) in Caribbean Buildings Project, which is jointly funded by a grant (US$4,859,000) from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and co-financing in the sum of US$7,625,500 from the Centre and five Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, seeks to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20% in the near-term and make the region’s energy sectors more efficient through increased use of renewable energy.

Approximately 30 key stakeholders involved in the project, including representatives from the five participating countries (Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Saint Lucia and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago) were in attendance for the launch event in Belize City, Belize.

Dr. Al Binger, Energy Science Advisor at the Centre and Technical Coordinator for the ESD Project, says Belize will be the first CARICOM country to begin implementation.

Dr. Binger says the project is particularly important as the region imports in excess of 170 million barrels of petroleum products, annually, with 30 million barrels used in the electric sector, much of which is consumed by buildings across the region. Therefore, improving the efficiency of energy use in the building sector is a project priority.

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) has receivedfinancing from the United States Agency for International Development/Eastern and Southern Caribbean’s (USAID/ESC) for implementation of the…